Hamburg took advantage of 11 walks and three hit batters to beat Birches 6-5 in its opening game of the Region 2 Legion Tournament Friday at Quakertown.
“This is a big win for our program,” Hamburg coach Nick Evangelista said. “We did just enough. A win is a win.”
The Reds, who are representing the Schuylkill-Berks League, will play Quakertown in a winners bracket game Saturday at 8 p.m. Quakertown beat North Parkland 5-3.
Before the game, Evangelista said he told his team that everyone had to contribute, setting a goal of each player reaching base at least twice.
Hamburg, despite getting just four hits, came pretty close to accomplishing that. Only two batters failed to reach twice via a hit, walk or by being hit by pitch. Those two reached once each.
“We also only struck out one, which is huge,” Evangelista said.
After Birches, the Northampton League playoff champ, took a 1-0 lead in the first, the Reds scored two runs without a hit in the bottom of the inning.
With two outs, Luke Bensinger, Tristan Baer, Brayden Kamp and Isaac Krick drew consecutive walks to tie it. Ricky Clark then was hit by a pitch to give Hamburg the lead.
Birches retook the lead with two runs in the second against Baer. One run scored on a hit by pitch, the other on a groundout.
Baer allowed three runs on two hits and two walks. He struck out two. Because he pitched just 1.2 innings, he will be eligible to pitch Sunday.
Hamburg took the lead with three runs in the third, scoring with two outs.
Baer led off with a walk. Following a fielder’s choice, Krick walked. Tyler Shuey was hit by a pitch with two outs to load the bases.
Braden Fetherolf singled in a run to tie it at 3-3, and a walk to Scottie Dunleavy gave the Reds the lead for good. Connor Licklider then walked to make it 5-3.
In the fourth, Baer, who had walked, scored on a single by Clark to make it 6-3.
Birches scored two unearned runs in the fifth off Krick, who replaced Baer, as the Reds committed two errors in the inning.
Krick got a grounder to short with runners at the corners to end the threat.
Birches threatened in each of the final two innings, as well.
It loaded the bases on two hit by pitches and an error, but Krick got the final out on a grounder to second.
In the seventh, Birches again put two on — Krick hit a batter with one out and gave up a two-out single — but ended the game by getting a fly ball to left.
Krick ended up allowing two unearned runs on four hits and two walks in 5.1 innings.
“He came in and kept them at bay, kept them at arm’s length,” Evangelista said.
Conner Licklider went 2-for-3 with an RBI for Hamburg. Baer walked three times and was hit by a pitch. Clark finished with two RBIs.
Despite being short-handed — catcher Nate Gilbert is out with a broken hand — and not playing their best game, leaving 11 on base and committing four errors, the Reds still found a way to get the victory.
“Overall just pleased to get a win with this group,” Evangelista said.
Source: Berkshire mont
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